Car Hire Kimberley Airport

Kimberley Airport Mini Guide

Introducing Kimberley Airport
Kimberley Airport is a small domestic airport serving under half a million passengers each year. It’s readily accessible on the outskirts of the city and plenty of parking, including free outdoors parking and lockable garage parking, is available.

Getting There by Plane
Just two airlines operate there; South African Airways to Cape Town and South African Express to Johannesburg. There are no international flights from the airport.

Onto Your Next Destination
There are no trains and, strangely, no buses either from the airport given its proximity to the city centre. The only options for onward travel are by taxi into the city centre or hire car. The offices of the car hire companies are found in the arrivals public area of the terminal. As it’s such a small airport, pre-booking a car is essential to ensure the availability of your choice. It isn’t usually important to begin queuing early to pick up your hire car but you should gauge the demand as you disembark. If you think it may be a busy time, send someone through to start the final paperwork.

Getting to the centre of Kimberley is easy. Leaving the airport on the approach road, turn right onto the N12, cross the N8 and you’ll end up in the city centre. 

Public Information
There’s no airport information desk at the airport so you’ll need to ask a member of staff for help if you have a query. An unmanned kiosk will give you details of accommodation and transport options in the area.

Services and Facilities
There are no banks or foreign exchange bureaux at the airport as it is a domestic airport. The only monetary facility is a NedBank ATM. However, outside the terminal there is a post office.
Shopping at Kimberley Airport is bleak with simply a kiosk and a small shop selling African souvenirs and clothes. There is no duty free because the airport only handles domestic flights.
You may be better to bring your own food to eat at the airport as there is only one outlet, called ‘Pub’ serving food. The food is convenience style only, snacks, sandwiches and re-heated pizza.

The airport has a Wi-Fi hotspot which gives access to the internet on fee for use basis.
First aid is provided by the fire and rescue service at the airport. Ask a member of staff to get someone to help if necessary. Any major problems will be dealt with by calling an ambulance from Kimberley.

Items of lost luggage should be reported to the nearest staff member as there is no dedicated lost luggage office in the airport.

Private rooms for worship are available, just ask a member of staff.

Extra Assistance
Facilities are available at the airport including a trained member of staff to accompany you through the airport process but with limited staff, you’ll need to give the customary 48 hours’ notice. As always it is advisable to let your airline know your specific difficulties when booking your flight so that help is available in flight and at your destination.

The fight for the control of Southern Africa centred on Kimberley and by hiring a car from the airport you can follow in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought the Boer Wars. Kimberley was besieged for 6 months and battles nearby at Magersfontein and Modder River defined the two opposing forces.

Today you can visit memorials and museums which tell the story of man’s fight over the precious diamonds found in the area. The city stands starkly in an area of inhospitable land called the Karoo from which you can get a besieger’s view of the modern city.